Milton - what a tantrum throwing jerk! Being prepared for the storm and life after the storm is crucial. The picture below is our kitchen window shutters, they say Irma, Ian and now Milton.
I must say one of the hardest parts after the storm is communication being down. Not being able to let your family know your status is nerve wracking. Everyone knows you will loose power. But it's the being without cell service and internet service that is so hard. Ray and I went for a little drive to find cell service, we drove about 20 miles. Then I needed to find decent wifi so I could write my newsletter. ( I write the newsletter around the 6th of each month so I have the most current data to provide when it comes out on the 13th.) Well, this month we were prepping for Milton. Then after Milton left the state finding wifi to allow me to put together this newsletter was another adventure. Which is why I am keeping this brief this month.
So, what are some of the crazy things I do to prepare for a hurricane?
Ice-- I make tons of ice. Why? We will loose power so I will need ice. What if the generator doesn't work? I will need ice. When the power comes back on? I will need a drink!
I have battery operated decorative candles that work great as "without power" lighting.
Speaking of dark, WOW it is dark when the shutters are up!
I set up a hand washing station with "running" water in our kitchen.
(Yes that is my terrible handwriting saying "hand washing". I assure you teachers tried to improve my writing for years. )
Why do I have blue tape on my sink? That is my reminder to NOT put anything into the disposal. Believe me, you do not want food just sitting in the disposal when the power goes out.
I do fill my bathtub with water so I can scoop water out for my handwashing station and to use for -well- for flushing.
I also try to flip the bathroom light switch every single time. I am holding a flashlight and still out of habit try to turn the light on.
I clean my house and do all the laundry before the storm. Why? Because if I have only generator power I need to begin the journey with a clean house.
For those who are watching the storms from afar, we recommend finding a local news station to watch. The national news can be a bit too dramatic. Gosh, Ray and I were watching before we lost power and we decided to stay off the national news and keep to the local. Hurricanes are intense! The news doesn't need to add drama to the coverage for ratings We both thought, "Wow, if that is what our family is seeing no wonder they are so worried!" The time for the news to cover dramatic stories is after the storm, showing the needs of people and the kindness of communities.
We want all of our Snowbirds to know we are excited for your migration south. We look forward to your return. This is your winter home and we want you to come HOME. Chances are some areas will still be messy when you get here, some will be forever changed and many will have their repairs done and look fine. Folks that were here will have plenty of stories to tell of their Milton adventure. And for all you who call this area home I hope Milton didn't cause you too much damage, but I know many are dealing with figuring out next steps. When you have a moment please let us know how you are doing!
This would be my STATS & DATA section. Since I don't have real estate data to share right now I will share a few pictures Ray and I took over the past few days.
The first one is from Venice Beach the night before Milton came to town. It does look like a storm is a brewing out there.
This is Venice Beach the day after the storm. We had to take a break from cleanup and see the Gulf. I touched my toes to the water & it was cooler than it had been . The Gulf had set record warm water temps this summer.
Here is a picture of the Myakka River just down the road from our home. This is close to the boat ramp. The water color reflects the natural tannins in the water. It has all the lovely "fall color" Florida style that is.
The November newsletter will be back to normal with all the market data and local market information. In November I will also be able to share what the market did right after Milton and the weeks that followed.
Now back to putting our home back in order after the mess Milton made. Oh -- Our house is fine, few torn screens and lots of down trees and such. Our power company estimates we will have our power restored by the 17th, eight days after we lost power.
Warmest Regards,
Mary & Ray
